Rail-joint.



u 845,343. 4 PATENTED FEB. 26, 1907. 'H.GAARA.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLIOATION FILED H0127, 1905.

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ll fi' 1] u im- 7 '1 1-8: mahRls PETERS ca wnsmzvorou v c No. 845,343. PATENTED FEB. 26, 1907.

H. GAARA.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLIOATIOH rum) NOV. 27, 1-905 I 3 snnn'rs-snam a.

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I PATBNTED FEB. 26, 1907.

H. GAARA.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 27, 1905.

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HALVOR GAARA, OF BC NORWAY.

RAIL-JOINT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 26, 1907.

Application filed November 27,1905. Serial No. 289.283.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HALvoR GAARA, a subject of the Kingdom of Norway, residing at B6, Telemarken, Norway, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail- Joints; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descr ption of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in rail-joints, and more especially to the class of rail joints denominated supported joints.

The object of my invention is to provide a rail-joint where the principal defects of the joints hitherto known (depression and wear of the rail ends, blows received by the wheels of the passing trains, and others) are sought to be remedied by supporting the joint by aid of a fixed bar or beam placed beneath both rail ends, said beam being connected to each rail end in two or'more places, one of -which connections is exposed to tensile strain, while the other or others are exposed to compressive strain, and of which connections one or more are adjustable vertically. In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a rail-joint embodying my invention. Fig. 1 is a continuation of the rail-joint shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 2, a vertical section on the line 2 2, Fig. 1 Fig. 3, a vertical section on the line 3 3, Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a side elevation of a modified form of rail-joint. Fig. 4 is a continuation of the rail-joint shown in Fig. 4. Figs. 5 and 6 are vertical sections on lines 5 5 and 6 6, respectively, Fig. 4; and Fig. 7 is a detail view of a modified form of wedge.

The part supporting the joint consists of a beam or bar a, which bar is in the drawingsrepresented as having rail-section. Each of the rail ends I) b forming the joint is in the form of execution shown in Fig. 1 connected to the bar a in three places A, B, and 0. Two of these placesviz. A and Care exposed to compressive strain between the rail and the bar, and the third, B, is exposed to tensile strain.

Beneath the middle of the rail-joint is placed a supporting member 0, which, as may be seen from Fig. 2, may be put on from the end of the bar a and fastened to the same.

This supporting member 0 may also be cast integral with the bar a. The supporting member 0 is provided with two wedge-grooves (1, one for each rail at the supporting connection A, in each of which grooves is arranged a wedge e of the form shown in Figs. 1 and 2, said wedge being at one end provided with a screw-threaded portion f, passing through an eye '0 in the supporting member 0, and by aid of a nut f on the screw-threaded portion working against the supporting member the wedge may be adjusted. On the said wedges straddle horizontal rail-supporting plates 9, forming direct support for the foot of the rail.

The support for the rail end at C is arranged similar to the connection A, the supporting member h being fastened to the bar a in the same way as the supporting member a, but supporting only one wedge i of the same construction and form as the wedges e, and the rail-support j corresponds to the railsupport 9. The connection C may suitably be arranged outside of the sleeper it next to the joint. The connection B is placed between the connections A and C. While in the connections A there are only compressive strain between the rail and the bar a, the connection B essentially has for its purpose ,to fasten the end of the rail to the bar a and to receive the tensile strains between the rail end and the bar a. To this end the connection comprises two tension-plates Z, which are with their lower ends fastened to the bar a by aid of bolts or rivets Z and which carry at their upper ends flanges m, overlapping the foot portion of the fish-bars n, and thereby preventing the rail ends from being raised or bent upward at this point. The upper parts of the tension-plates Z are kept together by aid of a screw-bolt 0, passing through the fish-bars as well as through the web of the rail. The said tension-plates may also be fastened at their lower edge in the same way as at their upper edge, respectively, and be formed alike at both ends. (This arrangement may eventually be used instead of the clamps, as hereinafter specified for the other form of execution.) The connection B may suitably be placed just outside the sleeper 7c next to the joint.

By drawing tight the wedges eand i one may independently of the wear of the various parts of the joint force the rail ends to lie firm in the same height and in a line with each other. As well the bar a, as the rail ends I) will on the drawing tight of the wedges feather a little, so as to necessitate the drawing tight of the same, only with longer intervals. If the surface of the rails should be worn a little uneven at or near the joint, one may force up the rail ends by aid of the abovementioned means and have them planed or cut on the spot by aid of a suitable appara tus. The fish-bars 'n, which in this joint essentially serve for the purpose of taking up horizontal strains. and therefore are furnished with strong side ribs 19, are screwed to the rail-web and contact with the rail-foot only for a short space on each side, so as to form no impediment against the forcing up of the rail ends by aid of the wedges. In both of the forms shown in the drawings the fishbars are made so long as to be overlapped by the tension-plates Z for the purpose of keeping the joint in correct position when the rails are expanding.

In the modified form shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6 all essential features correspond to those shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Above all the wedges there is, however, placed a thin plate g in contact with the rail-foot, but fastened to the bar a by bolts 9, the said plate serving to keep the wedges in place and to avoid wear by the expansion and contrac tion of the rail. The member a: is provided for the purpose of preventing the rail ends from being bent down in case both the inner wedges should be loosened and fall out. The bar or beam at is here in the form of an ordinary rail turned upside down and supported by sleepers and suitable chairs 1, the upper flanges of which overlap the foot of the rail ends 5 and limit their transversal movements. Instead of placing two sleepers beneath the bar a one might also place one single sleeper beneath the middle of the bar. The wedge arrangement in this modified form is, as may be seen from the drawings, Fig. 4, in all essential features similar to that already described, there being only some little difference in the form of the wedges. The connection B differs from the above-described arrangement in that the tensionplates are in form of clamps s, overlapping the feet of both rails as well as the lower flange of the fish-b ars.

In Fig. 7 is shown an arrangement of the wedges where the screws for keeping them.

in place are dispensed with, they being kept in place by casting lead or the like in the space If behind the wedge. A simpler and cheaper but not quite so efiicient construction may be obtained by omitting the wedgesupporting arrangement at C. One may also fasten the bar w rigidly to one rail and only provide for adjustable connections with the other rail. The parts 1 s a, Figs. 5 and 6, may be procured by cutting pieces of rolled special iron. On tracks where there is a heavy traffic and the parts are worn out comparatively fast it seems probable that a joint of the kind described will not be worn out as fast as the rails, so as to leave a greater part of its members fit for use in connection with new rails.

I claim 1. In a supported rail-joint a rigid bar placed underneath and parallel with the rails supporting members between the rails and the bar, bracing members between the rails and the bar and means to adjust the said members.

2. In a supported rail-joint a rigid bar placed underneath and parallel with the rails, members rigidly connecting both rails to the said bar and means to adjust the connecting members of one rail.

3. In a supported rail-joint the combination with the rail ends and fish-bars bolted to the rails so as to permit vertical adjustment of the rail ends of a rigid bar placed underneath and parallel with the rails, two or more members connecting each rail with the bar, of which members at least one is capable of bracing or binding the rails to the bar.

4. In a rail-joint, the combination with the rail ends, of a rigid member mounted beneath the rail ends, a supporting member mounted between the rail ends and rigid member, and a wedge in said supporting member for each rail end.

5. In a rail-joint, the combination with the rail ends, of a rigid supporting member beneath said ends, and means on the supporting member to adjust said ends independently of each other.

6. In a rail-joint, the combination with the rail ends, of a supporting member rigidly mounted beneath said ends and having a groove therein beneath each rail end, and a wedge in each groove.

7. In a rail-joint, the combination with the rail ends, of a supporting member rigidly mounted beneath said ends and having a transverse groove therein beneath each rail end, a wedge in each groove, and means to adjust each wedge. 1

8. In a rail-oint, the combination with the rail ends, of a supporting member rigidly mounted beneath said ends, a supportingplate interposed between the rails and supporting member, and wedges interposed between said supporting member and plate.

9. In a rail-joint, the combination with the rail ends, of a supporting member rigidly mounted beneath said ends provided with a transverse groove beneath each rail end, a plate interposed between the supporting member and rails provided with grooves registering with the aforesaid grooves and wedges adjustable in said grooves ndependently of each other.

10. In a rail-joint, the combination with the rail ends, of a supporting member rigidly mounted beneath said ends and provided with an eye and a transverse groove beneath each rail end, plates above the supporting members provided with grooves registering with the aforesaid grooves, wedges in said grooves projecting through the eyes, and a screw on each wedge.

11. In a rail-joint, the combination with the rail ends, of a rigid bar underneath and parallel to the rails, a supporting member embracing the bar and provided with a transverse groove beneath each rail end, a wedge in each groove, a grooved plate resting on each wedge, fish-plates secured to the rails, tension-plates secured to the bar, flanges on the tension-plates engaging the fish-plates, and bolts passing through the latter and the tension-plates.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in pres- 2o ence of two subscribing witnesses.

HALVOR GAARA.

Witnesses:

Jon. NAALER, AUG, OLSEN. 

